Feed strip for firearms



March 8, 1927. 1,620,408

c. SUTTER FEED STRIP FOR FIREARMS File d Feb. 26. 1926 Illlllf CAar/es Suffer CHARLES sn'r'rnn, or sonnsnns, rnnnon, Assrerio'a T sooxnrn' snowmen pas ANCIENS ETABLIssEMEN'rs rroromrrss & era, or ST.-DENIS, FRANCE.

FEED STRIP FOB FIREARM S.

Application filed. February 26, 1926, Serial No. 90,850, and in France March 24, 1925.

The present invention relates to feed strips for automomatic firearms of the kind in which each element or clip is detachable, that is to say the clip is separated from the remainder of the strip as soon as the cartridge constituting the hinged connection between two consecutive clips has been removed from the feed strip by the mechanism of the fire-arm. \Vith this end in view the clip or link which is made of stamped sheet steel, carries three asymmetric claws, two on the left hand side and one on the right hand side. This latter claw fits in between the two claws of the following clip, these three claws being then aligned so as to receive the cartridge which forms the hinge between the two clips in question. The two sides of the clip have been designated as right and left,

but it is evident that this designation is not imperative and has only been given for the sake of clearness and this designation will be adhered to in the remainder of the specification. All the claws are bent to the profile of the cartridge and the strip as a whole can be curved and wound upon a drum inrthe same manner as the strips of metal or webbing at present in use.

In the known feed strips having detach able clips,,the claws have a closed annular shape sothat it is necessary, in order to ex tract the cartr1dges and to insert them into the firing chamber, first of all to draw them backwards so as to disengage them entirely from the claws and then to lower them so as to introduce them into the barrel of the firearm. Furthermore, in view of the particular shape of these claws, it is necessary to provide an intermediate web of at least five millimetres width between the left and right hand claws of each clip with the result that a space of about 7 m/m. is left between the heads of two adjacent cartridges.

The present invention is intended to remove these two drawbacks and it consists in that the left hand claws of each clip only engage a portion of the left hand periphery of a cartridge situated in this clip, while the right hand claws of another clip situated immediately to the left of the preceding one only engage a portion of the right hand periphery of this same cartridge whichforms the hinged axis between these two clips,

while abutments provided on these two clips prevent these latter from approaching each other,

By means of this arrangement it is posslble to release the cartridges by pushing them forward by means-of a feed finger which can pass into the interval left free between the claws which. hold the cartridge to be introduced into the fire-arm. Feedstrips constructed in this manner are appli-. cable not only to automatic fire-arms with indirect feed as mentioned above, but also to automatic fire-arms having direct feed, that is to say, to fire-arms in which the feed mechanism pushes the cartridge forward so as to disengage it from the feed strip and to introduce it directly into the firing chamber. Furthermore, owing to the special form of the clip according to the invention, the distance between two consecutive cartridges and consequently the length of the strip itself, are reduced to a'minimum, which considerably diminishes the space required and enables a greater number of cartridges to be arranged in a given volume.

In accordance with the invention, the abutment surfaces-between two adjacent elements are preferably constituted by lugs provided on the right hand side of the left hand clip and bearing upon the outer face of the left hand claws of the clip situated immediately on the right of the former.

A clip according to the invention may furthermore present the following characteristics: cross-shaped ribs projecting from the face of the clip opposite to the cartridge so as to strengthen the clip, and the feeding or retaining pawls of the feed mechanism which act upon the strip bear against these ribs.

Ribs are provided for preventing theclips from overlapping during the advancing movement of the strip so as to maintain the whole in a straight line in the horizontal plane. r

A recess is rovided in which can engage a feeding or retaining pawl according to the feed system of the firearm for which the strip is intended.

A lip is provided intended for the purpose of facilitating the engagementof the pawl in the recess mentioned above and for limiting the pivoting of the assembled clips around the cartridges in the straightened'out position of the strip. This lip contacts with the left hand edge of'the clip situated immediately to the right.

Projections are also provided laterally upon the left hand claws for the'purpose of limiting thepivoting of the assembled clips around the cartridges in the direction of the curve of the strip, these projections contacting with a shoulder of the inner face or the right hand claw of the clip situated 1mmediately to its left. I

A lug is stamped in the (311]);tlI1ClllIIl1tS the rearmost position of the cartridge.

The invention is shown diagran'm'iatically and by way of example in the annexed drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation a cut-out blanli'. before the stamping operat1on.

Figf2 is an elevation of a single clip according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding end vlew.

Fig. lis a section along line IVIV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the whole formed by a "plurality of clips and the cartrldges contained therein.

Fig. 6 is a section along line VIVI, Fig.

5,the' clips being laid fiat side by side and assembled by the cartridges.

Fig.1? is a sectionalong line VIIVTI of Fig. 5 the clips being shown in the1r position ofmaXimum'curvature relative to each other.

Each of the clips obtained by stamping a sheet metal blank, which has preliminarily been cut out as shown in Fig. 1, has on the left side of its central portion 1, two claws 2 which are bent in accordance with the profile of the cartridge 3, thesetwo claws 2 being spaced apart a suficient distance so that a-gap 4 is left between them. On the other side the clip has a single claw 5 the curvature of -which is identical with that of the claws 2 and which is situated exactly opposite the gap at, its width being slight y lessthan that of said gap.

The assembling of the clips two by two is eflected by the intermediary of the cartridges 3 (Figs. 5 and 6). In order to assembletwo of these clipsthey areplaced side by side so that their central portions 1 are juxtaposed, the claw 5 of the left hand clip'being opposite the gap at separating the claws Qof-the right hand. clip. A cartridge 3 is then engaged between the claws 2 on the one hand andthe claw-5 on the other'hand. Lugs 10 provided upon each of the clips on the same side as the claw 5 serve to preventthe two clips approaching each other and with this end in view they abut against the o'uter face of the claws 2. As can beseen'inFigs. 6 and 7, the claws -are open and each one only holds the cartridge upon a portion of its periphery. It will be-understood that after two clips have been assembled tliesa me procedure will be followed fol-assemblingother clips. The cartridges 3 arethus "arranged in parallel relation (Fig. 5) and veryclose to each other.

It willbe understood that 'thisfmethod of" assembling enables the chpsto pivot relative to each other, the axis upon wlnch any two clips pivot being constituted by the cartridge 8 which connects them together. This pivoting movement, dur ng which eachi-of the claws 2 is guided owing to the fact that it constantly bears against the corresponding lug 10 suitably shaped for this purpose, is limited as regards the upon which is arranged the cartridge 3; the

ultimate position (FigfG) in this direction being that in which 'the central portions 1 of the clips are in the sameplane. In the other direction, the pivoting .movementis limited owing'to the fact thata-shoulder 8 provided onthe claw-5 of the righthand clip abuts, in the' case "of a 'p're determined final position being 1'eached,"agai11st teeth 9formed on the inner face. of eachof the claws? of the left ha-nd clip. "It is obvious that the above description whichhas been given as regards two clips is applicable to all-the others, and that in the case of these two clips, for example the right hand one, which plays a certain part-"with respectto the lefthand one, will on the otherhand play a partrelative to that which is at its right the same asthat which is played relative thereto by theclip which is on its left. In this way a hinged cartridge strip is obtained which can be rolled up and can comply to a'certainextent withthe deformations necessitated by its manner of use.

A recess 11 in which the stop pawl or driving pawl canengage, in accordance with the feed systenremployed, is provided in the central portion 1 of each of the clips inorder to eii'ectfeedingofthe strip by the mechanism of the fire-arm. T he engagement of thispawl isfacilitatedby the pres en'ce of the abutment 6 mentioned above and provided upon the right hand side of the recess 11, this abutment being *formed by bending up the strip of metal causedlt y cutting outthis recess. The stop wall or driving pawl can also bear upon a' longitudinal-rib 12 which reinforces the central portion 1 ofeach clip.

In order to prevent two neigbouringclips fronroverlapping during the forward 1n0 tion of the-strip, two transverse ribs 18 are provided near the forward extremity of each-clip.

At its'rear end the central "portion 1 of each ofthese clips' is prov-ided with projection 14 which controls therearmost position of the cartridge.

Owing to the fact that the claws; 2 and 5 do not clamp"v the cartridge 3 upon its entire periphery and. that more especially the upper portion of this latter remains free, it is possible to utilize a cartridge strip formed of clips according to the invention inautomat-ic firearins with direct introduction of the cartridge, that is to say, with firearms where the mechanism pushes the cartridge so as to remove it from the strip and to introduce it directly into the firing chamber of the gun, the feed finger provided in this case being able to pass freely between the claws 2 and 5. A strip of this kind could evidently be also applied to firearms with indirect introduction, that is to say, which are provided with a special device which seizes the cartridge by its base, disengages it from the strip by withdrawing it backwardly and then introduces it into the barrel.

It is obvious that the invention has only been described by way of a purely explanatory example which is in no way limitative and that it would be possible to make various modifications of detail in the devices which have just been described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A feed strip for fire-arms comprising a plurality of clips hinged together two by two by a cartridge, each clip having two claws on one side and one claw on the other side located opposite the gap between the first-named claws, each claw comprising a single curved element extending along less than half a circle around a cartridge.

2. A feed strip for fire-arms comprising a plurality of clips hinged together two by two by a cartridge, each clip having two claws on one side and one claw on the other side, and abutment faces on each of said clips for the purpose of keeping them apart by contact between said abutment faces.

8. A feed-strip for fire-arms comprising a plurality of clips, hinged together two by two by a cartridge, each clip having two open claws on one side and one open claw on the other side located opposite the gap between the first named claws, each of said claws embracing less than half the periphery of the cartridge, and abutment faces on each of said clips for the purpose of keeping them apart. I

4. A feed strip comprising a plurality of clips hinged together two by two by a cartridge, each clip having two open claws on one side, and a single open claw on the other and lugs on each clip adapted to abut against the claws of the adjacent clip.

5. A clip for feed-strips for fire-arms, comprising a sheet metal-body portion, sald body portion having two open claws spaced apart on one side and a single claw on the other sidelocated opposite the gap between the first two claws, each of said claws being bent to conform to the periphery of the car- I claw and adapted'to engage the two claws of the adjacent clip when the clips areassembled to form a feed-strip.

6. A clip for feed-strips for fire-arms, comprising a sheet metal body portion, said body portion having two open claws spaced apart on one side, and a single open claw on the other side opposite the gapbetween the first two claws, said two claws having teeth formed on their inner edges andthe claw on the other side having a shoulder adapted toengage, for a given curvature of-the strip, the teeth in another clip of the feed strip to prevent further curvature thereof.

7. A clip for feed-strips for firearms, comprising a sheet metal body portion, said body portion having two open claws spaced apart on one side, and a single open claw on the other side opposite the gap between the first two claws, said two claws having teeth formed on their inner edges and the claw on the other side having a shoulder adapted to engage, for a given curvature of the strip,

' the teeth in another clip of the feed strip to prevent further curvature thereof, an abutment formed on said single claw and engaging a transverse rib on the adjacent clip to prevent curvature of the strip in the opposite direction.

8. A clip for feed strips for firearms consisting of-a sheet metal blank cut out and stamped so as to present two open claws on one side spaced apart and bent to the periphery of the cartridge, a single open claw on the other side also bent to the periphery of the cartridge and located opposite the gap between the other two claws, a central longitudinal rib being stamped in said blank, and transverse ribs being stamped therein at the forward extremity of the blank.

9. A clip for feed-strips for firearms, consisting of a sheet metal blank cut out and dished so as to present two open claws on one side spaced apart and bent to the periphery of the cartridge, a single open claw on the other side also bent to the periphery of the cartridge and located opposite the gap between the other two claws, lugs struck up from said blank on each side of the single claw and opposite the two claws on the opposite side, a hole in said blank for the reception of the driving mechanism for the feed-strip, an abutment struck up from the edge of said hole, a transverse rib stamped. in said blank along the centre line of said hole, a central rib stamped in said blank, transverse ribs stamped in said blank at the forward extremity of each blank, an abutment formed in said blank for the head of the cartridge, projections formed on the intwo by a cartridge, each clip having car- 'ner edges of said two claws and a shoulder tridge gripping means on each side, and

on the single claw with its edges correspondabutment faces on each of said clips for the 10 ing as regards position to the said projecpurpose of keeping them apart by cont-act 5 tions. between said abutmenti'aces.

10. A feed strip for fire-arms comprising a plurality of clips hinged together tWo by CHARLES SUTTER. 

